Utilizing Your Web Analytics

The Triangle AMA’s June Luncheon, which focused on how to utilize your own website data, featured the speaker Chris Leone, who gave members some insight as to how to test, analyze and learn from those who are visiting your business’ website and your social media outlets.
Tips included learning which data really was the most important and meaningful to your analytics. Most people are under the impression that “hits” and “page views” are the most important numbers. Leone explains that the numbers we should be looking at are the number of sign ups, the economic value and revenue that are generated, the conversion rate, whether the visitor has clicked on any downloads, the per visit value, and the conversion rate. You want to know how someone got to your website; was it from a social media channel, typing a key phrase into Google, or seeing a business review elsewhere?
For those who are interested in Google Adwords, there are certain ways of going about how to decide which phrasing draws in the most clicks. Let’s say your business is running a special, but you don’t know which wording to use. Adwords will allow you to have as many different versions as you want, and display them in a rotation and by keeping an eye on how each of those ads perform, you can find which version of the ad was the most effective and continue with the most successful campaign.
Overall, the examples and tips that Leone provided were simple numbers to keep an eye on. As an overall strategy, he recommends establishing goals for each type of platform – meaning a different goal for your own website versus your social media pages, and sites that you have no control over, such as blogs or forums. Most importantly, measure the influence your business is making (your size, audience, and reputation), track review sites like YELP and see what kind of feedback your customers are giving, and try to observe and record what is being said about your business in blogs or forums. The more visibility your company has in all of these platforms, the more likely you are to develop new customers and generate revenue.